>> = Reilly Jones:
> = Stephen de Vries:
>> Rule the universe to what end?
>
>To survive. And survival is an end in itself. Survival can be the
>only ethic in this universe.
I have to disagree. I don't like the term 'ruling', especially when
it is placed in the context of the universe: a vast --and possibly
infinite-- part of space. I'm pretty sure that Reilly agrees that the
universe does not have to be ruled...especially not to the end of survival.
The universe *is*. Humans *are*. What we decide to do within the universe
is totally up to us, however, the universe holds astronomically <g> higher
amounts of energy than we do. That fact cannot be ignored. We should try
to coexist instead. For us to 'rule' something, we have to have more power,
either mentally or physically. I sincerely doubt we will enough power to
equal the universe (let alone rule it) for many, many millenia...if ever.
It is one large error on humanity's part that we think humans are
everything. We are not everything. There is so much out there that we have
not yet seen. Often, our ignorance unknowingly blinds us to many
possibilities and probabilities. Who can accurately say that "Survival can
be the only ethic in this universe"? How about exploration? That is an
ethic that is within humanity; chances are, it is in many other
extra-terrestrial species as well. Survival is not an ethic, it is an
instinct. It is an instinct that is embedded in our subconscious mind, but
when our mind consciously forfeits this instinct, we die. Sure, we want to
survive in the universe, but don't we want to explore, see more, and be more
because of new knowledge as well? I know I do. As humans, we should not
make closed-minded assumptions (and, as always, no offense to anyone here)
about what *is* and *is not* in the universe. When we know something...and
I mean really grok it in fullness...then we can say that A *is* A in the
situation, otherwise, we may get it all wrong.
Ingredi Externus!
-E. Shaun Russell
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~~~:~~~> E. ternity E. Shaun Russell
:~~> E. xpansion e_shaun@uniserve.com
:~~~> E. xtropy Extropian poet\musician
-"Outward is the only place to go that is not bound"-
From "Verging On A Brink"
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